This invention relates generally to pet houses, and more particularly to houses that are fabricated from cardboard and are intended to be used indoors, as for example in a garage, residence or dwelling.
In the past, a number of cardboard houses for pets have been proposed and produced, and have met with varying degrees of success or acceptance.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,016,042; 3,581,708; and 4,295,446 all show various arrangements for cardboard pet house structures. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,042, there is illustrated a cardboard house which is fabricated from a single sheet of material that has multiple fold lines, whereby the sheet can be folded to the setup configuration shown in order to produce the completed article. The house is open at the top, and has an entrance at one end. The panels of the structure are arranged to overlap, and are secured by either adhesive tape or other suitable fastening means such as prong-type fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,446 shows, in one embodiment, a two-piece unit, one piece being constituted as a floor with integral front and rear fold-up walls, and the other as a roof section having depending side walls. The various sections are fastened together in the desired manner by means of either taped joints or what is known as "button and string" tie fasteners. A modification comprising a one-piece construction is also illustrated and described.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,708 shows yet another type of pet house, involving a roof section that is separate from the side walls and floor of the house, and wherein the roof section is glued in position to form the finished unit. This construction has the capability of being stored or shipped in a flat or collapsed condition, with means for securing or locking the panels in such condition.
While many of the prior pet houses of the type adapted for indoor use functioned in an acceptable manner, several disadvantages became apparent. The use of adhesives or glue for securing the various panels together represented a nuisance to the consumer, since they tended to be messy, and susceptible to spillage, etc. Also, where glues are employed, there is a pronounced tendency for them to run down the sides of the panels, necessitating their care in application and frequent wiping off of any excess. Where glue came in contact with any of the panels of the house, it tended to obliterate decorations or decorative designs or markings that might have been printed thereon or otherwise applied thereto.
Also, once the house is assembled for the first time, it is difficult to separate the parts of the unit later on, as required during storage or shipping. Any attempt to pull apart the glued pieces usually results in separation of one of the outer layers of the cardboard, leaving a rough, unfinished appearance and giving rise to undesired curling of the resultant panel. In addition to suffering reduced strength, the smooth finish of the cardboard can be damaged, causing a rather unsightly condition which detracts from the overall appeal of the unit.
Several of the prior devices involved button-and-string type fasteners, which had the disadvantage of being unsightly and detracting from the appearance. With the use of prong type fasteners, there was the danger of injury to small children from either puncture type wounds, or scratches. In addition, the use of small fasteners represented an unnecessary hazard, since small children tended to put such articles in their mouths or swallow them. This inherent danger with small removable fasteners is reason enough to try to avoid their use altogether.
Also, where glues are being applied, it is necessary to physically hold the parts together until the glue becomes sufficiently tacky. This too represents a nuisance and inconvenience to the consumer.
Several of the prior art devices were not sufficiently open to enable the owner to readily view the pet during such times that the animal occupied the house. This was especially true of the units shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,295,446 and 3,581,708. To a somewhat lesser degree, it is also true of the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,042.